


Precious Little

by jadedgabe



Category: Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: Introspection, M/M, Stream of Consciousness, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 08:00:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20336779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadedgabe/pseuds/jadedgabe
Summary: There is precious little Much would not do if it were Robin asking.





	Precious Little

There was precious little that Much would not do if it were Robin of Locksley asking. He would grumble and groan, mumble and moan, but he would do it. He would do it, because Robin had asked. 

He knew the others knew, as well. They would tease and prod him, and he would let himself get wound up every time. They must think he is simple, always falling for their japes, and maybe he is, but he knows he must do it. If their attention is on his bruised ego, if Robin’s is, then it is not on his lovesick heart. 

And Much is sick. Sick of the pining, sick of the teasing, sick of watching Robin and Marion dance around each other. Sick of wishing he were still a necessary existence to Robin. Sick of not being able to just leave. He thinks about it, when he is sick of being sick, he considers just leaving. He is not as incompetent as he seems, he could find a life outside of Locksley and Nottingham. He would, if he could just detach himself from Robin Hood. 

When he is most miserable of all, he thinks that he is not so different from that hateful Guy of Gisborne. He, too, covets. Like Gisborne, his love is becoming twisted and painful. The only difference between them is that Much never had a chance. He had already given up on Robin loving him. He gets by on the scraps of comradery, the teasing smile still a smile, and all Much has ever wanted was for Robin to smile.

There is precious little that Much would not do if it were Robin Hood asking, so when Robin tells him to go, his heart breaks and then he goes. Only, he can’t stay gone, because it’s Robin, and Robin’s heart is breaking too, and Much would rather face every single one of the Sheriff’s men by himself, blindfolded for good measure, than see Robin unhappy. 

Because, really, that’s what it’s about for Much the Miller’s son. He exists to serve Robin Hood in whatever capacity he can. And that is all he ever will be to Robin. A stupidly loyal servant. A friend, sometimes. A confidant, once. Not anymore, though. Robin will not talk to him. Much will not let Robin know how deeply this hurts him. 

Much will never let Robin know how much he hurts him. He thinks, unkindly, that Robin would not understand even if he were told. Robin is a lot colder these days. He is a lot less understanding of the little hurts that people feel. Robin only has room for the loud and dramatic, the dangerous or deadly. He is not capable of seeing the pain in Much’s eyes when he says something especially harsh.

So Much will blush, he will bemoan and bluster at their teasing. He will keep his hurt at the surface like this so that no one will look any deeper. He will serve Robin Hood until the day he is told to go for good, and then he will continue to love him. There is precious little that Much would not do if Robin asked, but he thinks that loving him will always be the exception.

**Author's Note:**

> I always felt like Much was kind of under-explored in the show, so this is kind of my attempt to remedy that for myself. Set some time in between season 1 and 2.


End file.
